We Have Daddy Issues Vox Machina 2x11 Episode 11: Belly of the Beast Reaction

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[@brinnshea]

Mosco: they haven't killed even one dragon (from the conclave) yet. Brimscythe from season one: am I a joke to you? Vox Machina: compared to your friends, kinda, yeah.

[@WeeLassReacts]

Yeah Brim was a joke LOL

[@Starsaber222]

I've been saying it since last season. Brimscythe was the intern.

[@keithwiechart7744]

Applaud Sam Reigel, the creator of Scanlan. He has a scary knack of turning the most goofy and uncompelling characters into tear jerking, heart wrenching heroes.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

And they're always short! 😂

[@sandpiperr]

@@ShadowyFox_86 It's funny too, because he is small-framed so when he's sitting at the table he's believable as a little dude, but he's actually 6 feet tall so people are always shocked when they see him standing up.

[@umedyn8371]

Can't wait to see an animated Nott the Brave! Moscow is going to love every member of the Mighty Nein!

[@Sgtspork]

​@@umedyn8371 I was SO stoked to hear that announcement of the new M9 series. Yeah, it's gonna be a hard pick for favorite for her but off the bat at least, it's gonna start with Jester. Everyone loves Jester (tho ALL of M9 are so worthy of course, she's just the easiest to latch on to like that at first with her ball of joyous chaos).. tho I mean, ya got nott the drunken goblin thief and the deranged and damaged dirt wizard caleb.. carny free spirited Molly.. disaster lesbian Beau.. stoic good hearted Fjord. Deadpan Yasha stinking the place up like a crayon.. and peaceful Caduceus with his dead people tea. What's not to love? 😁

[@sandpiperr]

@@Sgtspork I'll actually be pretty peeved if she immediately loves Jester, considering how she felt about Sclanan initially. I admit that I'm biased because I am one of the rare population that does not love Jester. In fact, I can't stand her! However, even my personal dislike aside, Jester at the start was just as much as "walking sexual harassment suit" as Scanlan, so it'll be pretty problematic if she's fine with Jester's learned about sex from porn antics! I also feel like Mosco's obvious favorite is Yasha. Though, again, I admit my bias because M9 were my least Critical Role favorite group. The only one I truly loved was Nott. I loved her story, I loved her and Caleb's relationship, I loved her relationship with Fjord even! Molly, Fjord, and Caleb were good characters, but I feel like they were sometimes overshadowed. Caduceus and Yasha really felt like they never progressed to more than straight men to the more chaotic characters. Beau was alright, but I wasn't super invested in her character. She's one of those that I don't take issue with, but also isn't one of my favorites. And then there's Jester...ugh. I did not find her manic pixie dream girl "tee hee, I'm just too cute for you to get mad at! Penis joke!" act endearing and I never at any point actually cared about her backstory. I really just didn't care for Jester in the slightest, so...can't really say anything more about that. **EDITED TO TAKE OUT SOME MINOR SPOILERS**

[@alexkoder1982]

Fun fact. This episode ended the same way it did in the campaign. With Vax, Scanlan stuck in the Dragon and Grog holding on for dear life.

[@DanGamingFan2406]

"The threads of fate are not puppet strings." and "There is much to fear, but not death. For it gives meaning to life." are both lines that hit me much harder than I would've expected the first time I watched this. That entire scene with the Matron of Ravens might honestly be my favorite from this season. I'm really interested to see where they go with Vax's new job as a "fate sheppard" in the next season.

[@radicaladz]

Vax becoming the Eternal Champion of the Raven Queen has some neat parallels with the works of Michael Moorcock, from whom DnD (among others) borrowed the concepts of the Multiverse and the Eternal Struggle for Balance between Chaos and Order. In Moorcock's Multiverse, in every era/world imaginable, there is an Eternal Champion, a sort of doomed Byronic hero chosen to be the instrument of powers he doesn't fully comprehend, with a signature weapon, a tragic love story, a nemesis who is their dark reflection, and a patron they don't fully trust or have a complex relationship with. Vax fits this almost to a tee, and it's always cool to see Mercer and Co referencing more obscure and unusual sci-fi lore and not just Tolkien and the like.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

This is the moment in the campaign that everything changed for Vax's voice actor. It became a gift and therapeutic, considering what all was going on.

[@WeeLassReacts]

I honestly loved her Death quote, that was such a beautiful quote!!

[@ryanbagley3293]

Yeah scanlan’s daughter was a plot point that took everyone watching and at the table by surprise. It forced Sam to re examine how he was playing scanlan ( or forced him to make scanlan have more introspection and understanding of the consequences of their behavior ) and was a big turning point for his character development going forward; as you will see of course haha

[@ShadowyFox_86]

The whole table's reaction as it was revealed. 😂 Travis hiding in his shirt and Sam having the iconic look of "I may have fucked up."

[@cryofpaine]

Watching the cast reactions always makes those moments so much better. The animated series is epic, but I can't imagine something like the "crazy fucking druid" scene in campaign 2 without the cast reaction.

[@kitkami]

His table top meeting with her was 100 times better than this one sadly. They cut some of his best stuff from it. His speech about her being a part of him was just so amazing considering he was pulling it out of thin air and had no idea this was coming. In the game he talks his way out of it, she did not let him off. Matt was fully planning on him having to fight her, even had as set piece of Scanlans room ready.

[@WeeLassReacts]

I actually love this!

[@ShadowyFox_86]

@Kitkami Except he didn't talk his way out of it. He briefly did, but his final act led to her attacking him and Matt rolled a 1, leading to an interesting role play situation.

[@AlephSharp]

Also, RIP Lance Reddick, the Legendary actor who voices Thordak in LoVM

[@Brasswatchman]

Yeah. That one was a heavy hit. And his family, God...

[@HotDogTimeMachine385]

@@Brasswatchman Wait, what's with his family? Sorry for the late comment.

[@Brasswatchman]

@@HotDogTimeMachine385 He left behind two kids. That's all I meant, I think.

[@spideyrox8520]

In the campaign Cailey actually does try to stab and kill Scanlan but Matt rolled a nat 1 on her attack roll. He then roleplayed it as her not being able to do it and letting him go with the knowledge that his antics have had consequences.

[@MuffinHunterX]

That puppy metaphor. Oof. Absolutely love The Matron of Raven's speech to Vax.

[@WeeLassReacts]

It was so strong and solid, some beautiful writing!!

[@nigelhyde279]

At the time of the campaign. Liam O’Briens Mum was battling cancer, all the stuff with the Matron of Ravens and death was close to home.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

Hearing his side of things of these campaign events is so sad. In his words, just "heavy on top of heavy" and he didn't enjoy being at the table. And then Matt gave him this gift and everything changed. It's amazing to think that one scene changed the hardest moments of his life into some of the most treasured.

[@Dotterelly]

Scanlan gets a big ole "You tried!" sticker for this one 😂

[@WeeLassReacts]

He really really does!

[@nicolas._.2294]

They violated a dragon😭😭😭 Btw love vex and keyleth reaction when Vax comes out with blood, he didn't even respond what happened and keep going like a psychopath Vex and keyleth were like:👁👄👁 wtf

[@bskec2177]

Imagine Umbrasull going back to Thordak "Thordak "Why are you late with my gold!" Umbrasyl :"I don't want to talk about it..." "Thordak : "What! What could be more important than my gold ! I demand you.....Umbrasyl?" Umbrasyl " "*sobs "I said I don't want ...*sob to talk about it right now... Thordak, "Unbrasyl,,, Umbry,,,, we're all friends here, this is a draconic safe space. What happened? Umbrasyl " There was a gnome.....and a half-elf.... and, and ...

[@nicolas._.2294]

​@@bskec2177 lol, love this🤣

[@WeeLassReacts]

Why do the eyes and lips make this comment so much funnier? LOL

[@AlasdairGR]

Honestly the fisting in the campaign was worse with Sam having Bigby's hand spread open the wound with its fingers. 😂

[@Leichenhall3]

It's been fun watching your emotional journey as we learn more about Scanlan's character :)

[@WeeLassReacts]

YEY! I am glad!!! I wish I'd recorded Season 1 because then you could have seen the entire journey from I don't know this character > I hate this character > I really hate this character > I want this character to die > I feel sorry for him > oh he's funny when he's not being weird... > oh no I like him...

[@Charvale]

OMG! The look on the dragon's face when Scanlan and Vax put their plan into action had me laughing my @$$ off!! Oh, and he already used the short sword to try to keep the dragon there, but it tore through his body, and stayed.

[@alexkoder1982]

20:05 Yeah your right Moscow. Explains why in the final episode of Vox Machina Grog used the Power of Friendship to draw The Dark Magician and used that card to banish evil back to its own dimension.

[@WeeLassReacts]

..... SUS

[@richardbrown3055]

A little bit of fun trivia on how the threads of fate tie two of the show you’re watching together. Boscha the three-eyed mean girl from The Owl House, is voiced by Eden Riegel…Sam “Scanlan” Riegel’s sister.

[@Brasswatchman]

Oh, hey, I didn't know that! Neat.

[@-nav-398]

Congrats Mosco on overcoming your green-eyed monster and letting Pike/Scanlan's relationship develop.

[@WeeLassReacts]

ppfftt

[@DaDunge]

15:15 I think he can now. The Matron made itimpossible to take off to make him come to her now that he has accepted her she has no reason to be so heavy handed.

[@WeeLassReacts]

Oh thank goodness, our lad can BATHE

[@DaDunge]

@@WeeLassReacts Well it's speculation but I think he describes bathing at some point after getting the armour in the campaign. In the other hand I dotn recall the not being able to take off the armour being a plot point in the campaign either so...

[@aidenharvey3784]

We are ALL full of smug. Scanlan always finds his way into your heart (¬‿¬)

[@CeliriaRose]

If you like “small folk” I recommend looking into Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. Absolutely amazing show with a main character who is shall we say vertically challenged.

[@stomyn]

HEY! WHO ARE YOU CALLING SMALL!?!?!?!?!

[@WeeLassReacts]

OMFG HAHAHAHAHAHA already seen it and LOLLLLLLLLLL hahahahaha

[@Drummer4President]

Literally a Riza Hawkeye funko pop in the back ground lol

[@isakoqv]

That "I should just be enjoying it" couldn't have been more perfectly timed 😂

[@adamhinton3441]

This is the consequence of trying to bed everyone in the realm

[@LrdHollow]

Only Scanlan would come with a plan that would literally involve an unwelcome use of one’s back door even if it’s a Dragon’s 😂😂😂

[@hoopa_axolotl9293]

23:50 this is funny considering the fact that taliesin joined in the all girls dance during the critical role dance party

[@alexkoder1982]

Minor Spoilers. In the actual Campaign, The Herd of Thunder wasn't completely wiped out. They had maybe 27 survivors and Zanror lead the Survivors to the South to find another tribe to live with and to be less murderous since he's got a kid on the way.

[@blazypika2]

that's somewhat true in the series as well. near the end of episode 12 we see zanror and a handful of survivors of the herd of storm standing infront of graves.

[@mickdarcy3063]

I love me a reactor who falls out of their chair. Also, there is no Number that is bad, from 0 to infinity, and beyond. Wherever you are at.

[@sandpiperr]

We know Pike does kind of like Scanlan but her getting drunk isn't super significant. One thing that she and Grog have in common is they're pretty much always down to get sloshed.

[@WeeLassReacts]

I just got excited because the idea of a drunk Pike makes me smile LOL

[@officersquidman]

The power of friendship? Friends die all the time! No, the greatest power of all is CHRONOMANCY!!!

[@Brasswatchman]

Heh. I got that reference. 😁

[@freefall945]

We did it, ScanGang. One of us. One of us.

[@caffeinedelusions]

"Obviously some good stuff in the end with the dragon" I see what you did there.

[@caffeinedelusions]

Let's take a moment to appreciate the fact that this show, of all shows, may be the first piece of animation EVER to make an animator contemplate 'what expression would be on a dragon's face when he suddenly feels, in the heat of battle, a gnome and a half elf shove themselves up his tailpipe at velocity'. They say there's nothing new in art, but honestly this proves that EVERYTHING can be hit with a fresh twist if you're clever.

[@natezabinski5615]

You're the first reaction that I've watched that didn't see the "that's not my mom" coming.

[@DaDunge]

8:00 His vestige didn't. He made a covenenant to save Vex. The vestige is just the matron sweetening the deal.

[@melissanotthewebsbusiness7272]

It's so interesting: She'd been watching him a while, this fate-touched, and yet fearful protector of others. He loves deeply: Vex, Keyleth, and his friends as well, protecting them from danger by stealthily into potential traps and harm's way. In that moment of his impulsive, selfless act, the Matron also acted impulsively: While she could have pulled on Vex's original cord of fate, she exchanged it for Vax's instead. And not just exchanged her life for his: But instead threw his soul to be tested by the bound soul of her champion, Purvon, to see if he had not only the strength, but that spark of reckless sacrifice that drew her to him. When she came to him, stripping away her power to show him her mortal form, she seemed not only vulnerable, but lonely. I do hope they share more of her story and origin, because she is fascinating!

[@alexkoder1982]

I can only imagine Umbrasyl getting a lot of shite from the other Dragons when they die. Since not many Dragons have something as undignified as a prostate exam happen to them.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

Prostate exam and ruptured colon. 😂 It's just a bad week for him.

[@phoenixdzk]

Worth mentioning, some Vestiges were created for the champions of Gods, and some by the gods themselves, but a lot of them were created by powerful smiths and magic practitioners too. The titanstone knuckes for example were literally forged from the heart of a dead titan, but since no deity is bound to them, they aren't bothering Grog in the same way. Some gods don't communicate in quite the same way either. No spoilers but there's another vesige that's gonna show up next season that also has a powerful connection to a deity

[@Sovreign071]

A moment of ilence for the artists who so lovingly illustrated a dragon's... rear.

[@Sgtspork]

Along with the new series of M9 getting made.. I SO hope they also eventually get to do a mini-series of the Calamity mini run down the road.. THAT would be SO amazing.. I mean, the story and the visuals... about the very start of the Calamity, a major event glimpsed in season two of LOVM where the vestiges come from and the end of the age of Arcanum that changed the world and beyond. That series was just wow. I so hope it makes animated form. it deserves it.

[@synthellaart1587]

I would LOVE to see EXU animated. Especially Dariax.

[@TimpanistMoth_AyKayEll]

I've been WAITING for this! Watching you react to Scanlan is so enjoyable, I can't express it.

[@WeeLassReacts]

YEY

[@AlasdairGR]

17:07 Ladies and gentlemen, we got her.

[@Brasswatchman]

21:30 Love that little character moment.

[@melissanotthewebsbusiness7272]

Aww, I was really waiting for your initial reaction to the Matron, but it was cut out! Because everyone's reaction had been so awestruck, and I was anxious to see if you were, as well!

[@WeeLassReacts]

I think I just sat there taking it all in, because I only usually cut the bits out where I dont say or do a lot.

[@UncleMilo]

And I was sitting here smug as shit. You called me out - won't deny it. :D

[@Dunybrook]

It's interesting trying to watch you predict what's going to happen when all of this was randomly determined to an extent and they adapted it with the idea of changing as little as possible. It's a bizarre hybrid of something that's very unlike a conventional story in many ways. The fact that you happen to resemble Kaylie so much was something I noticed straight away but was afraid to mention considering how you felt about Scanlan as that must have made it kind of weird.

[@rhokesh4391]

Not literally 'see' the strings of fate, but remember who it was who got VM to turn around and fight Brimscythe? -yep^^ Funny you should say "fawn over" 😉or... faun over...? Let's just say you'll like Ashley's C3 character a lot too if you meet her. And no, I have no idea how they got that blood off of Vax. But there was this running gag in he campaign about how the Deathwalker's Ward smelled kinda bad... 😂

[@87rabbitsproductions71]

It’s like characters start out in bad spots so we can see them grow, develop, and become better people

[@Shadowace724]

I really appreciate your reactrions. You got me smiling and laughing so much my face hurts. :)

[@WeeLassReacts]

YEY GOOD THATS WHAT I WANT

[@AlmostOtaku7]

I love your reactions, and can't wait for your verdict of the finale!

[@ForgorenWolf]

The boats (scafism), is a particularly gruesome way to die

[@sandpiperr]

There's also little evidence that scaphism was every really used as a means of execution. It may have simply been ancient Greek urban legend.

[@spf4yt]

*Shawn sitting smug as shite* Mosco - "Stop it!" *Shawn drops his smug look* *Mosco turns back to the show* *Shawn's eyes sparkle mischievously and the feckin' smug smile returns*

[@richardtrujillo4854]

She admitted it! Lol

[@Samgreen90]

(At 17:15) I KNEW you liked the pervy gnome, like everyone else did!

[@PangoriaFallstar]

I called it! By episode 11 you'd like him! Scanlan grows on people. He's more than his sex obsession belays. My favorite bit is the dragon cloaca. Which comes up so often in this show!

[@TheBmweed]

As a fellow Scot (reppin' the fifers) I thought it was very telling that your Scottish Mum Senses were showing.... He'll never get the blood out of that armor, he can't take it off. I bet you see a nice day outside and do some washing... ;)

[@WeeLassReacts]

Okay... look.... why you gotta call me out like that huh? Bloody fifers!! First you can't say tattie scone right and now this!!!

[@Brasswatchman]

😂

[@austinjeral1201]

Always a pleasure watching you react to this show. I know it must have hurt to admit Scanlan had grown on you. It is that reason that I hate to inform you that both he and Vax get digested in the dragon's gut. Still its alright. The voice actor that played Scanlan takes over as his daughter and the man that played Vax turns into a very short, nature-based spider man, using vines to swing around. It's all quite fun!

[@sequentialscott]

The clutch bit in the finale is when the Matron of Raven turns Vax into Gaara, who then explodes Umbrasyl from the inside out with sand.

[@ОбразцовТимофей]

"That's not my mom" - that hit so hard.

[@erikaiverson4122]

I couldn’t believe she called it!

[@sandpiperr]

I saw that one coming because it was the obvious situational joke! Still funny, though.

[@WeeLassReacts]

[@Luzarioth]

to be fair... Mistress of Ravens is actually closer to the real name, "Raven Queen" than "Matron of Ravens". Copyright safe versions and such ^^*

[@erikaiverson4122]

17:10 this made me laugh so hard!

[@IceMetalPunk]

I won't say I told you so... but I will refer you to my previous comments on other Vox Machina videos about a particular gnome and some particular episode numbers 😝

[@nikocentauri7027]

hmm.. some people appreciate life so much that living forever means you can help out a lot more.. and for others immortality would be a curse... definitely one lifetime doesn't seem enough time to do all the things... guess it depends on how attached you are to the temporary elements in life, but if life were endless by default, I can see how it would feel meaningless, so in that respect, death is the compliment of life and gives life parameters, dimensions and limits.. thanks for another great video Mosco! ❤‍🔥❤‍🔥❤‍🔥

[@dntm123]

I'm not sure if they'll go into this at a later date, though I wouldn't call this a spoiler, just an interesting bit of info, but I'll let the mods be the judge. The Matron of Ravens is probably the most interesting God of this pantheon, as she was once mortal herself and ascended to Godhood after challenging the original God of Death.

[@ShadowyFox_86]

Oh what a quandary, to be stuck between a puppy or a daughter. 😂 It's not so much the vestige is tied with so much baggage in Vax's case. It's because Vax made the deal to save his sister. He got the vestige as a sort of secondary benefit. The Matron of Ravens/Raven Queen chose for him to be her champion after he made the deal. Had she not died, getting the vestige (or even becoming her champion) likely would have been much less baggage. He's dealing with trauma that has only happened a short time ago (maybe a week or so for him). Then he has this responsibility on top of it. The sad part is that he's chosen not to talk to the Matron since Episode 4. He's been actively avoiding communing with her for 7 episodes. One of the cast made a fitting analogy about what's been going on: it's like your doctor says "I don't like what I see on these tests," but you don't immediately set up an appointment to talk about what that means. Your doctor keeps calling, saying you need to come in, but you keep avoiding. When you finally do go in, they just say "it's not that bad; we just need to follow this gameplan." Vax made this whole thing much more painful than it needed to be. Liam almost gave up playing at this point in the game due to his mother being diagnosed with cancer. He just felt it all was so heavy. Matt giving him that moment with the Matron changed everything. Liam (Vax's player) has said it was the moment that helped him enjoy the rest of the campaign and think fondly of it. It was profoundly therapeutic, and he cries even to this day talking about it. The ceremonial flaying bit wouldn't kill them. It's actually a practice that exists in the real world, including older practices of catholicism and the church of England. It's apparently a penance thing. But all those are just ridiculous rumors of things they do, thus the enemas. 😂 The pool of blood is a unique magic thing in that you don't actually die. It just puts you into an in-between state where you can directly communicate with the Matron. As far as the threads, he's been bending them the whole time. It can be argued that he did that with Keyleth because Vax couldn't use magic at that point. The coming together of Vox Machina could be another bending of fate, as could the saving of Whitestone. Being fate touched often means that you are at the center of major world events, and you shape them (whether for good or for evil). The Matron isn't opposed to someone coming back from death, if fate deemed it wasn't their time. But she will directly oppose someone's life being extended beyond when it should, like in the case of the undead. If you seek to circumvent fate and death, that's when there's a problem.

[@Raptor213]

"The matron of Ravens" just call her the Raven Queen

[@brianewing5778]

In the campaign, Matt rolled a really shitty role for Kaylie and was the only reason why she didn't try to kill Scanlan.

[@y813lnJack]

The thing I love about the visions was they were actually all timed to be considerate from a goddess point of view. Oh you are looking for the sphinx next? Here let me put his lost location in my history lesson vision. Oh this thing is too strong, i don't like doing visions in fights cause dangerous but you seem to have enough cover so let me give you a test so you may unlock some of the power and win. Oh your heart rate is relaxed so not in danger let me give you visions to start explaining the job you agreed to.

[@kitkami]

* clears throat * Told you so.😁

[@Sgtspork]

On your story telling trope prediction of the initial Dragon Fight with the herd.. While this show is only an adaptation of the actual play and thus scripted and of course subject to those tropes.. it remains HIGHLY faithful to at least the iconic and important moments of those actual play sessions, which are often fully decided by both player improvising in the moment as a reaction to the changing battle but also to the dice rolls dictating the outcome.. And while those dice rolls can end up mimicking those tropes, it's incidental, lol.. at least to a degree. Again, this is an adaptation of course.. with the live game being an overall guide and things need to be streamlined and condensed as well as make sense narratively as it's an animated visual story and not a series of game mechanics.. But that's one of the hidden joys of this series for someone well familiar with the actual play of these scenes.. it's AMAZINGLY faithful in so many detailed ways (without being a direct copy). Hell, in some places, the story has been improved even.. (tho overall, it still feels a little condensed.. especially the first season but that's certainly to be expected when perhaps one episode of the show might encompass one, two, or three or even more actual play sessions at an average of 3.5 hours each.) I am SO proud that they have really committed to this.. I mean, all those iconic moments in the last few episodes actually happened and were just as epic in the actual play from the rest of Vox Machina sneaking up on rooftops and Grog yelling 'Vox Machina! Fuck Shit Up!' to Kevdak getting his arm cut off, to Grog going in Vex's Locket as a flyby (with Laura coming up with it in the moment in desperation) and then dropping him on Kevdak and cutting him in two (he literally rolled a natural 20 for a critical hit). Tho they did leave out a part where an innocent child being held hostage died due to accidental friendly fire from an area affect spell (fireball) a bit earlier in the fight but Pike resurrected him and they helped him find his parents after all was done.. Also, the fight went a little differently, but they got all the important bits and they added a ton of freaking cool (Percy and the explosion anyone? Niiooce!) And they left out that Grog shattered his legs when he landed and was in negative hit points (unconscious and dying) due to his landing.. But they got the essence totally correct.. all the iconic bits even if it's a bit of a remix.. I mean, it was even Scanlan starting the Strongjaw chant in the actual play.. it's really a truly amazing adaptation of the source material.. by people who love it.. you can tell the artists love it.. I mean Titmouse are great and amazing but this show is above and beyond for them on visuals I think.. they are making smart choices on what to leave out, what to keep in and generally pacing pretty well too.. it's NOT easy stuff.. amazing just how good a job they are doing.. I rank it up there with the Last of Us tv show for amazing adaptations. Even more so than it but I cannot deny bias.. heh. As for Scanlan.. Sam is a secret Genius with a huge heart. He comes off as a low brow obnoxious somewhat jerk but it's just a persona.. to put you off his scent. Lol. Then he will hit you with the feels or such a long game joke or plot point that your jaw will drop.. seriously. There's a podcast he had with Liam where they discussed creating the characters from ages ago and he knew nothing about DnD then.. (this was his first game) but Liam was familiar and a player.. this all started as a one off get together for Liam's birthday that turned into a monthly years long thing and then Felicia Day (who started Geek and Sundry) said 'this is amazing, you guys should play on camera' after playing a session with them for fun.. (boom.) But Sam asked 'whats like, THE worst?' as in what would make up the worst character ever.. Liam told him, 'Gnome Bard'.. and Sam decided he'd make his worst character also conceptually also like the worst person as well.. just awful.. lol. Because funny. So he basically styled Scanlan after Eminem (yup, just found that out recently myself via commentary on LOVM by Sam.) But Sam actually runs both really smart and really deep under that wacky outward persona of his.. oh man, no spoilers but you haven't seen anything yet. Wait till you really get to know the Mighty Nein's Nott the Brave. 😭 Now, with backstory stuff, Matt takes what the players have come up with a really goes deep and incorporates it into the campaign and LOVES to throw them curve balls.. I'm not sure who came up with Kailee but I do believe it was Matt and that Sam had no idea beforehand that she was his characters daughter in the game.. Matt doesn't really engineer moments so much.. I don't think he specifically intended for the whole 'hitting on his own daughter' aspect but was aware of the possibility. That's more how he does things I think.. he works from character motivations.. she is a rough and tumble character, so when he hit on her, that's probably when Matt thought up her tricking him as a means of revenge (or possible murder, she was really angry). Perhaps it was part of a list of possibilities that Matt could pull from if Scanlan did or acted certain ways.. I dunno, I'm sure it's been discussed, lol. But I'm fairly sure Matt created the character. I mean, Scanlan gets around and has for a lot of his extended gnome life (erased a possible minor spoiler on scanlans age). His lifestyle would obviously leave behind a potential child or two who might eventually seek him out and have a chip on their shoulder.. From all the behind the scenes stuff and the actual play, I get a real sense that Matt truly is amazing like that with his players. Not just back stories, as he once took a player death and turned it into a major plot point in an amazing way.. but he really goes all out and doesn't pull any punches with the players (as he possibly secretly delights in their misery 😁) and really has taken some of the smallest seeds given to him as general background and wove them into amazing art in some cases or at the very least, very cool unexpected moments that (mostly) only directly happened by the players actions with their characters. It's such a joy to behold as a writer at times.. I mean, he sometimes has to fall into tropes, as he's often improvising in the moment, having to situationally adjust and react to an ever changing collective narrative but when he shines, he truly shines.. Now the Kaylee thing happened at a different time and in a slightly different manner under different circumstances (adaptation) but it gets all the important bits right, it gets the feel, her character, and the awkward.. all right.. and even verbatim chunks of memorable dialog ('I don't think I'd let it get that far'). And while it IS Icky and they could have easily modified it to soften the ick factor a little and really, no one would really blame them (much, lol).. I am SO proud they kept it despite the Willy's I get thinking about it.. blergh. It was so iconic and true to the original legendary show.. But remember, what drives the story to this animated show is a co-operative improvisational narrative story telling and role playing game that uses dice to determine the success or failure of actions taken.. That game, with each player as author of their own character and the dungeon master as narrative overseer, world builder, NPC actor, and game mechanics judge (among other things as well) and the element of random possibility (modified via game mechanic) generated a transcript which forms the basis of the adaptation for this animated show.. the huge key thing here specifically that makes this story telling AMAZING is that it's based on random possibility thru the dice rolls of the game. All of it happened in the game, like pretty much 85-90%. Just not quite in the same order and in the same way (condensed remix) but a VAST majority of it can be DIRECTLY matched up to specific moments, choices, spells, and dice rolls from the game.. and in fact, there are videos showing this.. from skill checks to spells to side by side scenes. Ok.. now think how freaking amazing that a hit animated show that appeals to a much wider fan base than the original actual play show's fan base and is a Highly ACCURATE and amazingly beautiful adaptation who's narrative is based on a reactive virtual game world created by Matt Mercer and the somewhat arbitrary and random dice rolls of him and in character choices of some other minorly famous voice actors eight years ago on some low budget Thursday night internet stream.. a game created this story and these characters.. and freaking random dice rolls! I've been a fan since around the middle of campaign one (probably somewhere in season three of this show is where I would have started watching) of the original actual play. It still amazes me (obviously) that the show is actually mind blowingly as good as it is.. with this second season even better than the first.. oh, and SO MUCH more good to come story wise.. and they get to do campaign two? Sorry, I don't usually have fanboy moments, especially as I'm in my freaking 50's but lol.. hey, I just love 'em and they literally have not let me down yet in any way.. who can say that about anything? (It may come, I'm sure.. all things have their time but it's not yet at least..). And again, I thank you for your wonderful videos.. like watching them with a fun friend and always puts a smile on my face.. love your sense of humor, intelligent insight, and exuberance! As for Scanlan, yeah he's the worst but not like THE worst.. tho there will be possibly times you love and then hate him and maybe a bit of both.. He's a bit of an Asshole but he's Vox Machina's Asshole, lol.. Sorry for the book again.. I type so fast when I have coffee.. heh. ❤️

[@TenebrousFilms]

She had every intention of killing Scanlan, until Sam rolled persuasion in the 30s, and Matt rolled a nat1 for Kaylie's attack. She also named her mother first, but this was way funnier. Matron of Ravens, also the Raven Queen in the stream. There is a Knowing Mistress among the prime deities, basically a librarian god; if I recall correctly, the ziggurat under Whitestone was originally devoted to her. Normally, a black dragon can't do that. Only the smartest dragons (green, copper) might bother to learn magic, so the fact that Umbrasyl apparently has Greater Invisibility (which allows him to attack without revealing himself) is a surprise. He did turn invisible in his lair later on, but I assumed that was a lair action (dragon lairs tend to have their tricks). Originally, they teleported into the stomach and used an immovable rod, but this was also way funnier. Not only did they end it there, Matt ended the stream there too. Some of the players wanted to keep going, since they were going to have to wait two weeks because some of them had work.

[@djcowell91]

Karma may come back to bite one in the butt, but as we saw in that flashback, it appears Scanlan may like that! And after the series of predictions for the final fight, I was all set to ask if you predicted THAT. Finally, yeah, I'm still smugly smiling... 😀

[@laurahart1337]

Thought you might like this part with Scanlan. 🤭

[@stingerjohnny9951]

What, MEEEE smug? NEEEEEVER darling. I’d NEVER be smug about you liking a character you hated. 😏

[@Brasswatchman]

6:14 That sucks. I'm sorry to hear that.

[@christopherjunkins]

I'm sitting here all smug as shit alright. Can't stop that smug as fuck smile either heheheh }:)

[@WeeLassReacts]

[@Brasswatchman]

19:34 It's true, and you're right in that it's definitely predictable. But think about the alternative for a second. How boring would a fight without any surprises or twists be?

[@stomyn]

Hehe, called it at the beginning. If Season 1 started to warm Scanlan up to you, Season 2 would definitely finish the job. Isn't it wonderful to see character growth play out :3

[@ThaignWL]

LOL so you "faun" over Ashley Johnson's voice, 25:28

[@WeeLassReacts]

Like melted butter...

[@cryofpaine]

Definitely a season 3. Honestly, they could probably squeeze another season out of this arc. And this isn't the end of the campaign. They have two other arcs after the Chroma Conclave, though they're not as long. Probably only a season each. Maybe a season and a half. Plus they announced another animated series based on their second campaign, The Mighty Nein. I also love how you went from anti-Scanlan to completely buying his story. 🤣 Kaylee's sword was actually a clever way to get that tool to him. In the campaign, it wasn't a sword, it was an "immovable rod", which is a common D&D item which does what the sword does - stays in place once it's triggered, even in mid-air. They teleported into the dragon (instead of going the proctologist way), and set the rod inside like they did with the sword here. Worked the same though, the dragon just flew away, with the rod tearing through him. And yeah, Ashley's character next campaign is really cool. One of the problems her characters suffer from is she wasn't able to play them the whole time, so they weren't as fleshed out as the others. She did come back full time towards the end of the campaign though, and that's where she really blossomed. And her campaign 3 character is just top tier. Actually all of their campaign 3 characters are, with the exception of Laura's, and that's just because her campaign 2 character was so amazing.

[@sandpiperr]

Gotta be the voice of dissent on this one...love Imogen, can't stand Jester!

[@cryofpaine]

@@sandpiperr I like Imogen, but I kind of feel like she fits better with M9, and Jester fits better with BH. Imogen is more subdued, a little more "lovable asshole" like the rest of M9; where Jester is more "Addams' Family quirky" like BH. At least personality wise. But I love them both.

[@Ironoclasty]

Coma Clown Cave? Did you say Coma Clown Cave? Because that brings some very strange imagery . . .

[@DarkRaikon]

someone got pegged

[@DecentOfAngles]

17:21 caught red-handed.

[@darrenl3289]

Is this happening in Vax's head or really happening? Yes lol Remember, the vestige is just the armor. It just happened to end up in the possession of the Matron of Ravens. His pact with the Matron is what brought on all the baggage, becoming her champion. I was just waiting for your reaction to Kailie telling Scanlan he wasn't describing her mother rofl that was perfect. The whole scene with the Matron is some of the best animation i've ever seen. They really captured the idea of a god. *celebration hug for Hamish cuz you finally are admitting you're now team Scanlan lolol*

[@roboticd]

The Deathwalker's Ward was specifically created for whomever is the Champion of the Matron of Ravens, it didn't just fall into her possession.

[@alexkoder1982]

Nah that's just Raven. See Critical Role was bought out by DC while they were getting this season put together. And DC insisted they include one of their heroes. So they figured Raven would be a lot better than having Percy don a Cape & Cowl and refer to himself as "I am the night."

[@Brasswatchman]

Huh. You kid, but I wonder how Taliesin Jaffe would do as Batman. His "Percy voice" could certainly work for Bruce Wayne.

[@caffeinedelusions]

Yep, can't keep calling Keyleth 'Kaylie' anymore, that name's taken.

[@Brasswatchman]

6:20 He isn't the type, and that's the key thing we learn about him in these episodes. There's a better man or gnome under there somewhere. And this particular curve ball helps to draw that out.

[@dehro]

The Matron of Ravens has domain over Death and Fate... in a world where there are immortal creatures, magic that can prolong life for a very long time and magic that can bring back from the dead, it's the matron's task to make sure that only those that are fated to return from the dead do so... some people are just not meant to... other people and entities spend their lives accumulating enough power to try and cheat their Fate... one such is the Nameless One... When the Matron is faced with someone like him, she calls on her Champion, to oppose those powers. Vax, together with the rest of the gang put himself on her radar when they thwarted the nameless one... or maybe, given that she controls fate, she already knew about him and his destiny to become her champion. Him offering his life in exchange of Vex's just worked out as her hook to get him... had that not happened, she would have waited for another opportunity.... that would inevitably have presented itself.. because.. Fate.

[@targetdreamer257]

Scanlan was designed and built to be a joke character. Heck it is a well established meme, the Horny Bard. In game there are three mental stats; Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. The bard's casting stat is Charisma. Kaylie was Matts creation (from as much as I can tell) to in a way punish Sam for paying a rather scummy character. In the campaign Kaylie's choice to kill Scanlan came down to one role that Matt did in secret.

[@waynewatts8736]

You must admit Sam Riegal is full of scanlon😂

[@waynewatts8736]

Up ye arse😂!

[@vincentvoillot6365]

Daughter or Puppy ? Season 1 Scanlan would have respond "Why not both ?"

[@wiredjerk]

It’s funny how she explained the formulaic-ness of anime battles. Because, while true, this would be one of the few that that formula doesn’t exactly fit. Because there is a legit amount of luck, and chance due to it being based on DND and the role of the dice. Like take the whole thing with Scanlan and Kaylee. Matt had planned for the possibility of a battle in that room between those two only for the rolls to have it be narrowly avoided.

[@WeeLassReacts]

And yet... *waves hand at battle*

[@SebastianWeinberg]

7:04 - *“Is this the… mistress of ravens? Raven- Raven Queen?”* Raven Queen is one of her titles, but in the show they've only called her the Matron of Ravens, so far. She's a bit of an outlier among the gods, because she used to be a mortal woman who ascended to godhood and replaced the previous god of death, who was a total bag of dicks. And by "replaced" I mean "retroactively erased his existence from history itself." Even the other gods only know that there _used_ to be a different god of death, but they can't even remember his name. Thanks to the Matron, people now go to an afterlife that they've earned in life (usually one created by one of the other gods for their faithful), rather than all their souls being grabbed by the former god of death to increase his power. 21:55 - _"The _*_other_*_ way."_ - [Mosco needs a moment] … *“Okay.”* They changed this for the show. In the tabletop campaign, they _teleported_ inside via the spell _Dimension Door,_ which can take two people. Changing this was the _right choice._ This is better. 22:38 - _"I didn't actually think this would work."_ - _"It really shouldn't have."_ In the campaign, going strictly by the rules, they should _not_ have been able to teleport into this space, no matter how roomy a dragon's interior is or isn't. But the idea was so intriguing and off-the-wall, that Matt let them have it. 23:47 - *“Is it the girls and the guys? No, 'cause Percy's still- Well, Percy can be an honorary girl.”* Taliesin would approve. 😁 24:58 - *“I was wondering, actually, about that knife that Kaylie gave Scanlan.”* That knife is standing in for a well-known D&D item, called an "Immovable Rod", which is just an iron rod that can be locked into place _anywhere,_ even in mid-air. It can support a massive amount of weight, and it takes an incredible feat of strength for a creature to even budge it. An ancient dragon should probably be able to do it - but exerting that amount of force with your unarmoured internal tissues can't be healthy.

[@adamschwientek7061]

I mean she treated him poorly too by not letting him know he had a child. He Didn’t even get the option to choose to be in his child’s life. Kind of a two way bridge of people being shitty where the only loser was the child

[@Brasswatchman]

How would she have let him know? It's not like he left her with a forwarding address.

[@pinkrole2210]

Well, good now that you like Scanlan it's time someone tells you he will be the first character to be replaced. He dies brutally.

[@DaDunge]

0:15 I last certainly am not neutral evil! I am very much lawful evil thank you very much.

[@loganhemin4818]

Scanlan has throughout his life never truly love anyone or had anyone to love until Kaylee became known to him. Yes he is in love with Pike, but in that is different than how it comes across in the show. He loves her strength and courage. Something he never has. And in the livestreams after Kaylee reveal,Scanlan’s mind shifted to pike being not a Lustful, romantic relationship but a mother for his child to teach Kaylee to be Good and Strong and not like her father.

[@Evelyn-rb1zj]

Pfft Kaylie's nat 1 to stab Scanlan No Keyleth you're probably not that bad at stealth, Vex and Vax both just have expertise in stealth and perception so they can both hear you coming from a mile away and sneak up on you with ease (especially is Vex has pass without a trace up) Even if he did catch something from the blood pool all it'd take to fix is just a restoration spell from Pike to fix it I honestly love the Kaylie and Vex parallels so much (not to mention that she's probably around the same age as the twins or a bit older and more similar in age to Pike depending on when Scanlan had her, personally I prefer the closer to the twins option) I really hope they keep the scenes from the campaign where Vex talks to Scanlan about Kaylie and the one where she talks to Kaylie because they really make me love her even more

[@Lynel104]

I feel bad for Mosco's mic the abuse it's suffered 😞

[@DavidB-2268]

I think the ass-biting is more of an optional/on request sort of thing. You know, fun, but not for everyone.

[@DaDunge]

25:30 Hey! I saw Ashley Johnson first just so we're clear on this. I've been crushing on her since before you hit puberty (I think, I actually have no idea how mold you are).

[@WeeLassReacts]

I'll fight you!

[@DaDunge]

@@WeeLassReacts Bring it scotgirl! No thistles will save you the wrath of the vikings this time.

[@Brasswatchman]

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[@adamhinton3441]

11:35 sweetie we are not going anywhere I am typically bad with names as well I am certainly not going to hold it over you.

[@momqabt]

"My experience with dad's is they just don't care..." Then you've met men who spawned, not dads (and here we get into some very divisive topics😜). Knida shines a lite on your attitude tbh🤔🤷‍♂️and explains some stuff about it. Frankly I'm disheartened for anyone having to experience the modern no fault divorce perpetrated easy going dating, passion marriage without foresight over commitment and spawning without fraternal and maternal maturity.